Get your mind out of the gutter. This is a good little book, without involvement from the CIA, FBI, Communists, Mafia, or any other criminal, legal or political organizations. The only things it lacks are Velda and Pat, although he does make a brief appearance partway though the book. Mike visits Sidon, a small town that's a bit of a drive from New York to help out an old friend who's in trouble. He later finds himself at the home of Rudolph York, father of Ruston York, a young genius who has apparently been kidnapped. He is hired by Rudolf to find his son. While investigating his whereabouts, he accidentally stumbles upon him, gets into a brawl with the kidnappers and rescues young Ruston. However, the situation takes a turn for the worse as other people go missing, and Rudolf is found dead with a

meat cleaver embedded in his skull. Mike is of course suspected, and has made himself an enemy in the form of Dilwick, a big, mean and crooked small town cop whom Mike keeps underestimating. As Mike investigates Rudolf's death, he begins to discover a possible blackmail scheme whose origins begin with the birth of Ruston York. The missing element in all this is Myra Grange whose disappearance couldn't have come at a worse time. This book, although as I said before, does lack the Velda and Pat elements, as well as being frugal with the lustful ladies aspect, appeals to me for it's departure from his usual approach. It seems like a jump down into a more classic private investigator story, with some sharp and innovative thinking. A fairly good book, but not one of his best.